Per Mertesacker is entrusted with the job of collecting fines from Arsenal players in breach of club discipline but the German may find himself going cap in hand to manager Arsene Wenger for his place in the team.

Tottenham have opened talks with Fulham over signing Moussa Dembele as they attempt to make at least three purchases before the transfer window closes on Friday night.

Chairman Daniel Levy has vowed to back coach Andre Villas-Boas after the club’s disappointing start to the season and is set to sanction £60million of spending on fresh talent.

Half of that has been funded by the £33m sale of midfield star Luka Modric to Real Madrid yesterday and Dembele is seen as an ideal replacement for the Croatia international.

The 25-year-old has begun the campaign in superb form for Fulham and has a £15m release clause written into his contract.

He is also being monitored by Manchester United but Spurs have already begun negotiations.

Fulham do not want to lose their prize asset, however, Spurs are confident a deal can be struck even though they don’t want to pay the full fee in cash.

The club have offered fringe players Jermaine Jenas and David Bentley to make up part of the transfer and also suggested whether Fulham would take Tom Huddlestone on loan.

Dembele, who has admitted he wants to play for a “top club”, fits Spurs’s requirements as he can play in central midfield as well as in a more attacking role. His age also meets Levy’s criteria of a young talent with potential for a sell-on value.

Talks are still at an early stage but the club are also busy working on a number of other transfers which could go right down to the wire. While confidence is high that Spurs will sign the Belgium international, their move for Shakhtar Donetsk star Willian is in the balance.

They offered £11.8m for the Brazil international but the Ukrainian club, who rejected Chelsea’s advances in both transfer windows last season, are demanding more than £20m.

Willian is determined to force through the move having grown frustrated at his club’s attitude and significantly didn’t play in their League game against Karpaty on Sunday. Levy is hoping to use the situation to get a lower price but Shakhtar are remaining firm — although there is hope on both sides that an agreement will be reached.

Villas-Boas’s first-choice summer target, Porto’s Joao Moutinho, seems out of reach with the Portuguese club still demanding over £30m. As a result, Spurs are still looking at Rennes midfielder Yann M’Vila.

But a £13m move for Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris is closer to being completed after their president Jean-Michel Aulas confirmed that Levy has been in contact again.

He said: “It’s true that on Sunday we had a lot of contact with Daniel Levy. Things progressed during these talks, both qualitatively and quantitatively but nothing’s concrete yet.

“I’ve informed Hugo of these discussions. We’ll have to be a bit patient to find out. The decision belongs to Hugo who, I think, will be approached by Tottenham very soon. The clubs’ positions have moved closer together.”

Spurs may also make another move for Marseille striker Loic Remy having given up on buying Leandro Damiao from Internacional.

At present, they only have Emmanuel Adebayor, Jermain Defoe and Harry Kane to play up front, although they could make another attempt to sign Damiao in January.

Internacional president Luciano Davi said: “Our intention is that Leandro Damiao doesn’t leave this year. He is an Internacional player until December.

“Their offer wasn’t relevant and we are not interested in selling him.Tottenham came to us but their offer didn’t match our valuation of him. Leandro Damiao is a national team striker and we have to value that.”

Remy scored 20 goals for Marseille last season and has been on Tottenham’s wishlist for over a year.

Meanwhile, Gareth Bale is confident Spurs will click into gear soon having taken just one point from their opening two games. He said: “We just need the luck to turn a little.”